Test installation for testing control programs for a robot installation

Abstract

The invention relates to a test installation for testing control programs for a real robot installation, particularly for a lacquering installation, having a plurality of robot controllers ( 2.1 - 2 .n ), which each contain a control program and correspond to robot controllers ( 2.1 - 2 .n ) in the real robot installation, at least one control unit ( 4 ) for co-ordinating the robot controllers ( 2.1 - 2 .n ), wherein the control unit ( 4 ) contains a control program and corresponds to a control unit ( 4 ) in the real robot installation, and also having a first data bus ( 3 ) which connects the robot controllers ( 2.1 - 2 .n ) to one another and/or to the control unit ( 4 ), wherein the first data bus ( 3 ) corresponds to a data bus in the real robot installation. It is proposed that the test installation additionally have a modelling device ( 9 ) which is connected to the first data bus ( 3 ) and simulates peripheral components of the real robot installation, so that the control programs can be tested without the peripheral components. The invention also comprises an appropriate test method.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A test installation, comprising:
 a plurality of virtual robot controls that each contain a robot control program and correspond to real robot controls of a real robot installation; 
 at least one virtual control unit for coordination of the virtual robot controls, wherein the at least one virtual control unit includes a control program and corresponds to a real control unit of the real robot installation, 
 a first data bus and a second data bus, wherein the first data bus corresponds to a data bus of the real robot installation; and 
 a modelling equipment that is connected to the first data bus and that is configured to simulate peripheral components of the real robot installation so that the control program can be tested without the peripheral components; 
 wherein the first data bus connects to each other at least one of the virtual robot controls, the at least one virtual control unit, and the modelling equipment, wherein the first data bus corresponds to a data bus of the real robot installation, 
 the second data bus connects the virtual robot controls to one another and to the virtual control unit, an operator computer, and a graphics computer, and, 
 of the first data bus and the second data bus, the operator computer and the graphics computer are directly connected only to the second data bus. 
 
     
     
       2. The test installation of  claim 1 , further comprising a graphics computer that is configured for visualization of robots, wherein:
 the graphics computer is connected with the virtual robot controls and receives axial values from the virtual robot controls, wherein the axial values reproduce the positions of individual robot axes, and 
 the graphics computer reproduces simulated movements of virtual robots on a screen. 
 
     
     
       3. The test installation of  claim 1 , wherein:
 an operator computer is provided to operate and monitor the test installation,
 the operator computer is connected with the virtual control unit and with the virtual robot controls, and 
 the operator computer includes a visualization program used to visualize the test installation. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The test installation of  claim 1 , wherein the modelling equipment at least simulates one of the following peripheral components totally or partially:
 a conveyor system which transports components, 
 a fire protection system, 
 an air-conditioning system in a painting cabin of the painting installation, 
 a compressed air supply to the robot installation, 
 robots of the robot installation, 
 sensors, 
 actors, 
 robots, and 
 components which are housed in the real robot installation in a robot control cabinet. 
 
     
     
       5. The test installation of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first data bus and the second data bus is a field bus. 
     
     
       6. The test installation of  claim 1 , wherein the robot control program is configured to simulate sensors and actors included in robots. 
     
     
       7. The test installation of  claim 1 , wherein the modelling equipment is configured to simulate sensors and actors included in robots. 
     
     
       8. The test installation of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the real robot installation contains a same number of robot controls as the test installation such that each real robot control in the real robot installation may be simulated by a virtual robot control in the test installation. 
 
     
     
       9. A test installation, comprising:
 a single virtual robot control that contains a robot control program and that corresponds to a real robot control of a plurality of real robot controls in a real robot installation, wherein each of the real robot controls a robot; 
 at least one virtual control unit for coordination of the virtual robot controls wherein the at least one control unit includes a virtual control program and corresponds to a real control unit of the real robot installation; 
 a first data bus which connects the virtual robot controls with at least one of each other and the at least one virtual control unit, wherein the first data bus corresponds to a data bus of the real robot installation; 
 a second data bus that connects the virtual robot controls to one another and to the at least one virtual control unit; 
 a modelling equipment that is connected to the first data bus and that is configured to simulate peripheral components of the real robot installation so that the control program can be tested without the peripheral components; and 
 an operator computer, and a graphics computer, wherein, of the first data bus and the second data bus, the operator computer and the graphics computer are directly connected only to the second data bus; further wherein 
 the first data bus connects the virtual robot controls to the modelling equipment as well as to one another and to the at least one virtual control unit; and 
 the control program in a single robot control in the test installation is fitted with multi-robot software that is configured to simulate a control for all robots in the real robot installation.